The present invention relates to a high performance jack for an electrical connector for communication and data transmission applications. The jack has contact configurations that avoid coupling imbalance between the plug contact region and the circuit board. More particularly, the present invention relates to a high performance jack that terminates in eight conductors, with the eight conductors being configured to reduce electrical interference and to interconnect with a plug.
Due to significant advancements in telecommunications and data transmission speeds over shielded and/or unshielded twisted pair cables, the connectors (jacks, receptacles, patch panels, cross connects, etc.) have become critical factors in achieving high performance in data transmission systems, particularly at the higher frequencies. Some performance characteristics, particularly coupling imbalance, can degrade beyond acceptable levels at new, higher frequencies in the connectors unless adequate precautions are taken.
Often, wiring is pre-existing. Standards define the interface geometry and pin separation for the connectors, making any changes to the wiring and to the connector interface geometry and pin separation for improving performance characteristics cost prohibitive.
The use of shielded and/or unshielded twisted pair wiring and the establishment of certain standards for connector interface geometry and pin separation were created prior to the need for high-speed data transmissions. Thus, while using the shielded and/or existing unshielded twisted pair wiring and complying with the existing standards, connectors must be developed that fulfill the performance requirements of today""s higher speed communications, and maintain compatibility with the existing connectors.
Furthermore, conventional jack contacts make electrical contact with the contacts of a plug, when the plug contacts are inserted into the jack and slide along a portion of the jack contacts. In other words, the point of contact actually changes along a length of the jack contact, depending on the point at which the jack contact comes to rest relative to the jack. For many high performance connectors this change of contact point can degrade the signal or result in a varied range of crosstalk insertion point and can yield unacceptable phase control.
Additionally, conventional contacts can have an electrical length exceeding 100 picoseconds (ps), i.e., the time an electrical signal takes to travel from the modular plug interface to the output portion is 100 ps. Electrical lengths exceeding 100 ps generally limit the effectiveness of the compensation, since the signal will degrade through time.
Conventional connectors of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,078 to Stroede, U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,647 to Denkmann et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,872 to Liu, U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,018 to Davis et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,270 to Pantland et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,914 to Foster et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,647 to Roharbaugh et al.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical jack for a telecommunications connector having a contact configuration that improves performance characteristics, but does not require changing standard connector interface geometry and contact separation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical jack for telecommunications that has a contact configuration that avoids significant coupling imbalance between the plug contact region and the circuit board.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical contact with an acceptable and relatively constant electrical length.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector with a modular interface that has a fixed point of interface on the jack contact.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical plug for a telecommunications connector that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and use.
The foregoing objects are basically obtained by providing an electrical connector for a telecommunications applications, including a circuit board. A first electrical contact extends from the circuit board along a first path and a second electrical contact extends from the circuit board along a second path, the second path crossing the first path. A third electrical contact extends from the circuit board along a third path and a fourth electrical contact extends from the circuit board along a fourth path, the fourth path crossing the third path. At least four electrical terminals extend from the circuit board, and at least four electrically conductive traces on the circuit board electrically couple each of the first, second, third and fourth electrical contacts to a respective electrical terminal.
The foregoing objects are also obtained by providing an electrical connector for telecommunications applications, including a circuit board and first, second and third pairs of electrical contacts coupled to the circuit board. A first portion of each of the contacts in each the pair of contacts extends substantially perpendicular to the circuit board and a second portion of each of the contacts in each the pair of contacts crosses the second portion of a respective contact in each the pair. At least six terminals extend from the circuit board and electrically conductive circuit paths on the circuit board electrically coupling each of the contact to a respective terminal.
The foregoing objects are further obtained by an electrical connector, including a jack having a circuit board and a first contact with a first input portion, a first output portion and a first transitional portion. The first transitional portion connects the first input portion to the first output portion, and the first input portion has a first curved portion that electrically connects with a corresponding first plug contact. This configuration allows the first transitional portion to have an effective length that is substantially constant after repeated coupling with the corresponding first plug contact.
By forming the electrical jack for a telecommunications connector as described, the connector will have improved performance characteristics, without changing the standard plug connector geometry and contact definitions.
Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses preferred embodiments of the invention.
As used herein, terms, such as xe2x80x9cleftxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9crightxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cupwardlyxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cdownwardlyxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cforwardlyxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cbackwardlyxe2x80x9d, are relative directions, and do not limit the connecting unit to any specific orientation.